For years, Wauwatosa East football has struggled in the Greater Metro Conference, where powerhouse teams like Marquette University High School, Menomonee Falls and Brookfield compete.

Three years ago, Wauwatosa schools asked the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association to move East into the Woodland Conference, where Wauwatosa West plays schools with comparable programs, such as Cudahy, Greenfield and Whitnall.

"When they go out and are being beaten pretty soundly each time, those programs fall off and kids lose those opportunities, Ertl said.

After an extended realignment process, the WIAA left East where it was and moved Tosa West into Greater Metro. Despite Wauwatosa's appeal, starting in 2017, both East and West will compete against the big schools.

Now Tosa is asking a judge to stop the entire realignment plan, saying the WIAA's decision ignored member concerns and its own criteria.

"Tell me another realignment that's taken place where a district that asked for relief actually got put in a worse position, which east and west both did clearly," Ertl said.

WISN 12 News contacted the WIAA about Tosa's lawsuit. Its executive director said: "We acknowledge realignment can be an emotional issue. After considering several plans and providing numerous opportunities for schools impacted to engage in the discussion, we believe the board acted within the scope of their authority."

"I love football. I practice every day just to get better on it," Wauwatosa West freshman Cameron Jackson said.

Jackson won't let realignment get in the way of his winning spirit.

"You learn from your mistakes. If a team beats you, then the next season you come back you work harder and you (are) going to win against them," Jackson said.

"This is a very emotional topic. It's very important to kids," Wauwatosa West Athletic Director Jeff Gabrielsen said. "When you have a team that's got 150 kids out for football, compared to a team that's got 33 kids out for football, you're going to have issues there."

Gabrielsen said it's a matter of safety. Kids on his smaller team spend more time on the field, which means they are more likely to get hurt. The bigger programs in the Greater Metro Conference have more kids who can afford to participate and perhaps get private training.

"You're endangering kids' health when you're not playing the right competition," Gabrielsen said.

He said kids don't like to lose all the time. If that continues, Tosa student athletes may lose the opportunity to field a football team.

The lawsuit asks a judge to halt the realignment, which is set to go into effect during the 2017-2018 season.